Darkness, then

the shadows of plants quicken, as dawn lights a
planet that contrived the fall of a billion forms of
life, while Gaia grieves in the rift between bodies
of her creation. Dust rises

from beneath the earth like smoke. Each organ
ages, yet we measure these lives by calendars
and clocks. What began

with scores on bone for recording the moon's
cycles, is also in the thermohaline circulation:
fresh water conveyed over heavier salty brine
sinking while I concentrate on taking the next

step, without falling on this path
that's not a path, not even a way.

 

 

 

bodies of her creation: "In her body, by her body, the goddess reveals the mystery of inexhaustible creation on all levels of life in the cosmos." M. Elaide, "Masks: Mythical and Ritual Origins." In, Symbolism, the Sacred. the Arts. D. Apostolos-Cappadona, ed., New York, 1990.
thermohaline circulation: "The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is a system of ocean currents that has an essential role in Earth’s climate, redistributing heat and influencing the carbon cycle." D.J.R. Thornalley, et. al., "Anomalously Weak Labrador Sea Convection and Atlantic Overturning During the Past 150 Years." Nature, Vol. 556, 227–230 (2018)